This is the question I was just asked, out of the blue, by a friend of mine, and a close girlfriend of my wife. My wife, friend, and I were sitting on my front porch, enjoying yet another wonderful, beautiful, fall day, and each other's company while our kids were playing. It just so happens that today was also an unseasonably warm day, so I was wearing shorts.
In response to the question, ever the hostess, of course I replied in the affirmative. With a curious smile on her face, my friend asked me why my legs were hairless, smoother than her own, and whether I shaved my legs.
First of all, I began epilating my legs in late August or so. There was plenty of shorts weather remaining at the time, and I have worn shorts every opportunity I have had. But nobody has really noticed or asked about it until now. This year I have deviated from previous years in that I had only shaved during non-shorts weather, always being careful to allow it to grow back in for the spring and summer.
I simply could not take it any longer this summer, though, and epilated it away. After first epilating and going out in public hairless, I was admittedly nervous. But I quickly became comfortable with it. In fact, having learned how easy it is, I will not go back to hair again regardless of season. If, however, I had been asked this same question a few months ago, I probably would have looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and like I was guilty of some heinous crime.
Now, after having come out to several friends lately, and having accepted myself for who and what I am, I was not nervous in the least, and did not hesitate for one moment - "I shave my legs sometimes, but I mostly epilate them." Had my wife been in mid-drink, she would have performed a classic spit-take. Bless her heart, she quickly attempted to come up with an excuse for me (thinking that I would be embarassed, and she wanted to "protect" me), but I politely cut her off, looked our friend in the eye, and said "I really enjoy shaving and epilating my legs." I then good-naturedly asked her how she thought my legs looked.
She was quite positive and complimentary about them, and wanted to know more about epilating. So we spent the next ten minutes or so talking about epilating and shaving. My friend even requested a demonstration, and to see the epilator. Again, ever the hostess, I was more than happy to comply with her request, and did so. Thereafter, she assured both my wife and I that she would be purchasing an epilator for herself soon . . . .
I very much enjoyed every moment of the conversation, and the freedom and peace of mind to effortlessly engage in such talk . . . .